Optimized data reconnect

ABSTRACT

A method of optimizing reconnection of a point to point protocol link layer in a mobile device comprising the steps of: monitoring whether the mobile device has entered a new zone; starting a stabilization period when the mobile device enters a new zone; checking whether the mobile device enters a different zone during the stabilization period; if the mobile device enters a different zone during the stabilization period, restarting the stabilization period and performing the checking step; and if the mobile device does not enter a new zone during the stabilization period, determining whether the mobile device is in a new zone, reconnecting to the new zone if the mobile device is in the new zone, and otherwise performing no reconnection.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 12/435,765, filed onMay 5, 2009, which is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No.10/747,979, filed on Dec. 29, 2003 (now U.S. Pat. No. 7,539,170).

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for reducingrepeated point-to-point protocol (PPP) reconnections of dormant dataservice.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

The point-to-point protocol (PPP) provides a standard method fortransporting multi-protocol datagrams over point-to-point links. Amobile station needs to maintain PPP connectivity while the mobilestation is providing seamless data connectivity in a mobile environment.Once the mobile station has established a PPP session and is assigned anIP address, its data service enters dormant state when it has no data tosend or receive. In such conditions, mobile station monitors change innetwork parameters in order to determine whether it needs to reconnectits data service in order to maintain PPP connectivity. In a CDMAnetwork, whenever the mobile station detects changes in certain networkparameters such as the System ID (SID) or Network ID (NID) or a newpacket zone identifier, the mobile station needs to re-establish the PPPlink layer pursuant to the IS-707 standard. The reconnection attempt mayinclude sending a message on the control channel or making a data callon dedicated traffic channel.

In certain scenarios, when the mobile station is in a boundary area, itmay move back and forth between two SIDs/NIDs and be required to performrepeated PPP reconnections. If the network does not expressly providethe number of packet zone identifiers that the mobile station is tokeep, then the mobile station only maintains one entry for the packetzone and in such cases, a similar ping-pong scenario would happenbetween two packet zone boundaries.

Even when the mobile station is stationary in a border area, it ispossible that the mobile station could ping-pong between two boundaryareas due to the fluctuations in radio frequency coverage.

Under such circumstances, the mobile station continually makes datacalls in order to reconnect its packet data service. This results inwasting valuable battery life as well as causing an extra burden onnetwork resources.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention overcomes the deficiencies in the prior art byproviding a method and system for optimizing data reconnection.Specifically, the present invention provides a stabilization period fora mobile station within which the mobile station will refrain fromperforming a data reconnect. The present invention adds intelligence tothe mobile station to detect a ping-pong scenario and once this scenariois detected, the mobile station waits for a stabilization period. Afterthe stabilization period is over, the mobile station verifies whether ithas come back to the same zone that it started in, in which case it willnot perform a reconnect. The term “zone” is used to describe a networkwith at least one parameter out of SID, NID and Packet Zone Identifier,which is unique to it. Conversely, if after the stabilization period isover the mobile station finds itself in a new zone, it performs a datareconnect at that time.

The present invention further contemplates several safeguards to ensurestabilization occurs and that a PPP session is maintained. These includea stabilization counter, a max return counter, and a countdown timerwhich may be used independently or in conjunction with each other.

The introduction of a stabilization period provides the advantage thatconsiderable improvement in battery life can be achieved if the mobilestation resides in a SID/NID/Packet Zone Identifier border area.Further, the drain on system resources is reduced.

The present invention therefore provides a method of optimizingreconnection of a point to point protocol link layer in a mobile devicecomprising the steps of: monitoring whether the mobile device hasentered a new zone; starting a stabilization period when the mobiledevice enters a new zone; checking whether the mobile device enters adifferent zone during the stabilization period; if the mobile deviceenters a different zone during the stabilization period, restarting thestabilization period and performing said checking step; and if themobile device does not enter a new zone during the stabilization period,determining whether the mobile device is in a new zone, reconnecting tothe new zone if the mobile device is in the new zone, and otherwiseperforming no reconnection.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will be understood with reference to the drawings,in which:

FIG. 1 is a flow diagram of a first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a flow diagram of an alternative embodiment to the presentinvention in which a timer restart counter has been added;

FIG. 3 is a flow diagram of an alternative embodiment of the presentinvention in which a max return counter has been added; and

FIG. 4 is a flow diagram of a further embodiment of the presentinvention in which a countdown timer has been added.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Reference is now made to the drawings.

In a first embodiment of the invention, as illustrated in FIG. 1, amobile device monitors whether or not it has entered a zone, asidentified by a new system ID (SID), network ID (NID), or packet zone ID(PZID). In order to maintain network connectivity, upon entering a newzone a reconnection of the point-to-point protocol would be required.However, as indicated above, frequent reconnects when in the boundaryarea can drain battery life and tie up network resources. In order toovercome this deficiency, the present invention monitors whether or notit has moved into a new zone in step 10. If no new zone has beenentered, the system of the present invention stays in step 10.

Once a new zone has been detected, the system of the present inventionmoves to step 12. In step 12, a stabilization period is started bystarting a stabilization timer. The duration of the stabilization periodcan be determined from field tests and may be any value. In practice ithas been found that an optimized stabilization period is in the order ofless than a minute to a minute.

Once the stabilization timer has been started in step 12, the systemmoves to step 14. In step 14, the system of the present inventionqueries whether the SID, NID or PZID have changed. This would indicatethat the device has moved into a new zone and therefore is not stable.If the system detects that the zone has changed, the system of thepresent invention moves to step 16 in which the stabilization timer isreset and then back to step 12 in which the stabilization period isrestarted.

Conversely, if the present invention finds in step 14 that the SID, NIDor PZID have not changed, the system moves to step 18. In step 18, thesystem checks to see whether or not the stabilization period is over.The stabilization period is over if the stabilization timer has expired.

If the stabilization period is not over, the system of the presentinvention moves back to step 14 in which it checks whether the zone haschanged and continues to loop with step 18 to check whether thestabilization period is over.

If the stabilization period in step 18 has expired, the system of thepresent invention moves to step 20. In step 20, the system checkswhether it is within a new zone or whether it is within an originalzone. If in step 20 it is determined that the system is in a new zone,the system of the present invention moves to step 22 in which areconnection is performed to establish a new PPP connection. Conversely,if the system of the present invention is in the original zone itstarted in, then no reconnection is necessary and the system moves tostep 24.

The advantage to the above, as will be seen by one skilled in the art,is that a stabilization period is provided which allows the device notto reconnect if the SID, NID or PZID relative to current zone has notchanged for this stabilization period. This eliminates repeatedreconnections due to a ping pong scenario at a boundary area.

A further enhancement to the system of FIG. 1 is described in theembodiment of FIG. 2. In FIG. 1, it is possible that stabilization isnever achieved. If the mobile device is in a boundary area and detects adifferent zone within the stabilization period, this causes thestabilization period to be reset. In one scenario the device will alwaysdetect another zone within the stabilization time, and thus continuallybe within a stabilization period and never stabilized.

Reference is now made to FIG. 2. In order to overcome the above, theembodiment of FIG. 2 introduces a stabilization counter to limit thenumber of times the device can move between zones. Once thestabilization counter reaches a threshold or a pre-configured maximumvalue, the mobile device must perform a reconnection regardless ofwhether stabilization has occurred.

The system in FIG. 2 starts by initializing the stabilization counter instep 30. The system next moves to step 10 in which the system checkswhether or not the mobile device has entered into a new zone and, if ithas not, it stays in step 10.

Once the system of the present invention detects that it has moved intoa new zone, the system moves to step 32 where the stabilization counteris incremented. The system next moves to step 34. In step 34, the systemchecks to see whether the stabilization counter has reached a maximumvalue.

If the stabilization counter has reached a maximum value, the systemmoves to step 22 in which a reconnection is performed and then moves tostep 38 in order to initialize the stabilization counter.

Conversely, if the stabilization counter has not reached a maximum instep 34, the system next moves to step 12 in which a stabilizationperiod is started by setting a stabilization timer. The system nextmoves to step 14 in which it checks to see whether the SID/NID/PZID haschanged.

If the zone has changed in step 14, the system resets the stabilizationtimer in step 16 and further moves back to step 32 in which thestabilization counter is again incremented and again in step 34 thestabilization counter checks to see whether the maximum has beenreached.

If in step 14 the system finds that the zone has not changed, it checksin step 18 whether the stabilization period is over. If thestabilization period is not over, then the system continues to checkwhether the zone has changed in step 14 and whether the stabilizationperiod is over in step 18.

Once the stabilization period is over in step 18, the system next movesto step 20 in which the system checks whether it is in a new zone. Ifthe system is in the original zone that it started in, it does not needto perform a reconnection and moves to step 24. Conversely, if thesystem is in a new zone, then a reconnection is required and the systemmoves to step 22.

After steps 22 and 24, the system next in step 38 initializes thestabilization counter in order to ensure the stabilization counter is ata value required if the system moves into a new zone and the system ofFIG. 2 needs to be restarted.

Based on the above, the system of FIG. 2 only allows the movementbetween different zones a maximum number of times after which areconnection is performed regardless of whether stabilization has beenachieved. This presents the advantage that the system is neverpermanently stuck in a loop waiting for stabilization to occur.

A further alternate embodiment to the present invention is illustratedin FIG. 3. It is possible that in some networks, while the mobile deviceis in the process of waiting for the stabilization period to end beforeperforming a data reconnect in the new system, it may be paged in theoriginal system by the network for an incoming data call. This can be,for example, e-mail, a voice over IP incoming call, or other types ofincoming data calls known to those skilled in the art.

The network may drop the PPP session in the original system if themobile device does not respond in the original system. The mobile devicecould be completely unaware of this and after the stabilization periodis over, if the mobile device has returned to the original system asdescribed above, it will not perform a data reconnect with this originalsystem. As such, the mobile device would not receive packet data untilthe next time that the mobile device re-establishes connection with thePPP session. This absence of a PPP session is not desirable in analways-on device.

In order to improve the probability of maintaining data connectivity inany similar situation as described above, the mobile could make use of acounter to achieve optimal connectivity. This counter will be referredto below as the max return counter.

In FIG. 3, the mobile device waits in a state 10 until it receives anindication that it has moved into a different zone based on the systemID, network ID, or packet zone ID. Once the system moves into a newzone, it moves to step 40 in which the max return counter isinitialized. The system then moves to step 12 in which the stabilizationperiod is started.

Once the stabilization period has started, the system checks to seewhether the system ID, network ID, or packet zone ID has changed,indicating that it has moved into a different zone in step 14. If it hasnot moved into a new zone, the system next moves to step 18 in which itchecks to see whether the stabilization period is over and, if thestabilization period is not over, the system moves back to step 14 whereit checks for a new zone and step 18 where it checks to see whether thestabilization period is over.

If the zone has been found to have changed in step 14, the system nextmoves to step 42. In step 42, the system checks to see whether it isback in the original zone it started in. If it is not back in itsoriginal zone, the system next moves to step 16 in which thestabilization timer is stopped and the stabilization period is startedagain in step 12.

Conversely, if in step 42 it is determined that the system is back inthe original zone, the system moves to step 44. In step 44, the maxreturn counter is incremented and the system next moves to step 46. Instep 46, the system checks to see whether the max return counter has meta threshold value. This threshold value can be determined based on thecriteria for optimizing the maintenance of network connectivity as willbe appreciated by one skilled in the art.

If the system has not reached the max return counter threshold, thesystem moves to step 16 in which the stabilization timer is reset andthe stabilization period is started again.

Conversely, if the max return counter has met a threshold value in step46, the system next moves to step 48 in which the stabilization timer isreset and a reconnect is performed in the original zone in step 50.

The above ensures that if the system returns to the original zone acertain number of times then it will perform a reconnect regardless ofwhether the zone has stabilized. This will optimize the probability thatconnectivity is maintained.

From step 50 the system next moves to step 52 in which the max returncounter is initialized again for the next time that a zone change occursfor the mobile device.

If, in step 18, the system finds that the stabilization period is over,the system next moves to step 20 in which it checks whether the deviceis in a new zone. If in step 20 it is found that the device is in theoriginal zone, then no reconnection is necessary and the system moves tostep 24. Conversely, if the system finds that it is not in the originalzone in step 20, then a reconnect is performed in the new zone in step22. From steps 22 and 24, the system moves to step 52 to initialize themax return counter for the next time the mobile device moves to a newzone.

In order to further improve the probability of maintaining dataconnectivity in any situation as described above, the mobile devicecould further make use of a countdown timer to achieve optimalconnectivity. The countdown timer would be used to ensure that if amobile device has not stabilized within a certain time period and entersback into the original zone where it previously had been, it willperform a reconnect in that original zone regardless of whether it hasstabilized within the zone. The advantage is that the device will onlybe out of connection within the original zone for a maximum time period.Reference is now made to FIG. 4.

In FIG. 4, the system waits in step 10 for a new SID/NID/PZID toindicate that it has changed zones. If it has not changed zones, thesystem stays within step 10.

If the system finds that it has changed zones, the system next moves tostep 60. In step 60 a countdown timer is initialized and started.

As illustrated in FIG. 4, both the countdown timer and the max returncounter are used to optimize connectivity. However, as one skilled inthe art will appreciate, the max return counter and the countdown timercan be used independently of each other by removing the steps associatedwith the max return counter from the embodiment of FIG. 4.

Once the countdown timer is initialized and started in step 60, thesystem next moves to step 40. In step 40 the max return counter isinitialized and the system next moves to step 12. In step 12 thestabilization period is started by starting a stabilization timer.

The system next moves to step 14 in which it checks whether or not thezone has changed again. If the zone has not changed, the system nextchecks in step 62 whether the countdown timer has expired. If thecountdown timer has not expired, the system next moves to step 18 inwhich it checks whether or not the stabilization period is over. If thestabilization period has not ended, the system repeats steps 14, 62 and18 as long as the answers in each of these steps is no.

If in step 14 the system finds that the zone has changed by having a newSID, NID or PZID, the system next moves to step 64. In step 64, thesystem checks whether it is back in the original zone. This is importantsince the countdown timer is only relevant to the original zone that thedevice was in.

If in step 64 the system finds that it is not in the original zone, thesystem moves to step 16 in which the stabilization timer is reset andmoves back to step 12 in which the stabilization period is started overagain. This is because the zone has changed but to a new zone, thusrequiring the stabilization period to restart without incrementing themax return counter.

Conversely, if the system finds in step 64 that it is back in theoriginal zone, then the system performs step 66 in which it checkswhether the countdown timer has expired.

If the countdown timer in step 66 has not expired, the system moves tostep 44 in which the max return counter is incremented and in step 46checks whether the max return counter has reached its threshold. If themax reset counter has not reached its threshold, the system moves tostep 16 and then to step 12 to reset the stabilization timer and startthe stabilization period over again.

If the max return counter has reached its threshold, then the systemmoves to step 48 in which the stabilization counter is cancelled and instep 50 a reconnect is performed in the original zone.

In step 66, if the countdown timer has expired then the system realizesthat both the countdown timer has expired and the system is in theoriginal zone and further realizes that this is a precondition toperform a reconnect regardless of whether stabilization has beenachieved. The system therefore moves to step 48 if the countdown timerhas expired in step 66. Step 48 cancels the stabilization timer andmoves to step 50 in which a reconnect is performed in the original zone.

The system further after step 50 moves to step 68 in which the maxreturn counter and the countdown timer are both initialized.

As one skilled in the art will appreciate, if the countdown timerexpires while the system is in the original zone then a reconnection isnecessary but not captured in the steps above. In step 62 the system isin a state in which the zone has not changed as found in step 14.However, if the countdown timer has expired, the system moves to step 70in which it checks whether or not the system is back in the originalzone. If the system is back in the original zone, it realizes that boththe countdown timer has expired and that it is in the original zone andtherefore the system moves to step 48 in which the stabilization timeris cancelled and further to step 50 in which a reconnect is performed inthe original zone.

Conversely, if the system is not in the original zone in step 70, thenregardless of whether the countdown timer has expired, the system stillneeds to achieve stabilization and the system moves back to step 18 inwhich it checks whether or not the stabilization period is over.

If the stabilization period is over in step 18, the system next moves tostep 20 in which it checks whether the system is in a new zone. If thesystem is not in a new zone, then it is back in the original zone and noreconnection is necessary and the system moves to step 24. If the systemis in a new zone in step 20 then the system is stable in this new zoneand a reconnection is required in this new zone, in which case thesystem moves to step 22 in which a reconnection is performed in this newzone.

After both steps 22 and 24, the max return counter and the countdowntimer both need to be initialized again.

As one skilled in the art will realize, in the embodiments of FIGS. 3and 4 a timer restart counter as illustrated in the embodiment of FIG. 2can further be added to ensure that the system is not perpetually withinan unstable state. This may happen, for example, in the embodiment ofFIG. 4 when the system does not return back to the original zone but isinstead bouncing between two other zones. In this case, it is desirableto add a maximum restart counter to ensure that the device eventuallyperforms a reconnection in a new zone and that it does not perpetuallystay in a disconnected state.

The above described embodiments of the present invention are meant to beillustrative of preferred embodiments and are not intended to limit thescope of the present invention. Also, various modifications, which wouldbe readily apparent to one skilled in the art, are intended to be withinthe scope of the present invention. The only limitations to the scope ofthe present invention are set forth in the following claims.

1. A method of maintaining data connectivity of a mobile device in anetwork, comprising: establishing a data link between the mobile stationand a first zone; starting a stabilization period upon detecting thatthe mobile station has entered a second zone from the first zone; afterthe stabilization period ends, determining if the mobile station is inthe second zone; and if the mobile station is in the second zone afterthe stabilization period ends, then reconnecting the data link to thesecond zone.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein if the mobile station isin the first zone after the stabilization period ends, then maintainingthe data link between the mobile station and the first zone.
 3. Themethod of claim 1, wherein if the mobile station is in the first zoneafter the stabilization period ends, then reconnecting the data linkbetween the mobile station and the first zone.
 4. The method of claim 1,further comprising: detecting that the mobile station has entered athird zone from the second zone during the stabilization period; and inresponse to detecting that the mobile station has entered the thirdzone, restarting the stabilization period.
 5. The method of claim 4,further comprising: after the stabilization period ends, determining ifthe mobile station is in the third zone; and if the mobile station is inthe third zone after the stabilization period ends, then reconnectingthe data link to the third zone.
 6. The method of claim 1, wherein thedata link is a point to point protocol link.
 7. The method of claim 1,wherein a change in a system identifier is detected to indicate that themobile station has entered the second zone from the first zone.
 8. Themethod of claim 1, wherein a change in a network identifier is detectedto indicate that the mobile station has entered the second zone from thefirst zone.
 9. The method of claim 1, wherein a change in a packetidentifier is detected to indicate that the mobile station has enteredthe second zone from the first zone.
 10. The method of claim 1, whereinthe stabilization period is measured using a stabilization timer.
 11. Amobile station that includes software instructions for maintaining dataconnectivity in a network, the software instructions stored in acomputer readable medium and when executed by the mobile station beingconfigured to: establish a data link between the mobile station and afirst zone; start a stabilization period upon detecting that the mobilestation has entered a second zone from the first zone; after thestabilization period ends, determine if the mobile station is in thesecond zone; and if the mobile station is in the second zone after thestabilization period ends, then reconnect the data link to the secondzone.
 12. The mobile station of claim 11, wherein if the mobile stationis in the first zone after the stabilization period ends, then thesoftware instructions being configured to maintain the data link betweenthe mobile station and the first zone.
 13. The mobile station of claim11, wherein if the mobile station is in the first zone after thestabilization period ends, then the software instructions beingconfigured to reconnect the data link between the mobile station and thefirst zone.
 14. The mobile station of claim 11, wherein the softwareinstructions are further configured to: detect that the mobile stationhas entered a third zone from the second zone during the stabilizationperiod; and in response to detecting that the mobile station has enteredthe third zone, restart the stabilization period.
 15. The mobile stationof claim 14, wherein the software instructions are further configuredto: after the stabilization period ends, determine if the mobile stationis in the third zone; and if the mobile station is in the third zoneafter the stabilization period ends, then reconnect the data link to thethird zone.
 16. The method of claim 11, wherein the data link is a pointto point protocol link.
 17. The method of claim 11, wherein a change ina system identifier is detected to indicate that the mobile station hasentered the second zone from the first zone.
 18. The method of claim 11,wherein a change in a network identifier is detected to indicate thatthe mobile station has entered the second zone from the first zone. 19.The method of claim 11, wherein a change in a packet identifier isdetected to indicate that the mobile station has entered the second zonefrom the first zone.
 20. The method of claim 11, wherein thestabilization period is measured using a stabilization timer.